Crimson Tide
by Hitsugi Zirkus
Summary: Looking back, Gilbert pictured life on the sea to be a bit different. He didn't expect to suddenly join the ranks of the infamous Baskerville pirates. He didn't expect mermaids to be real. And he most certainly didn't expect the pretty girl he saved from, ironically, drowning to be one of said mythical creatures. Gil/Fem!Oz Request fic for Sakural7865
1. Storytime

**A/N: **Greetings to all -bows- I am Hitsugi Zirkus, making another Pandora Hearts fanfiction~ Since Clockwork Circus and my Kingdom Hearts fanfic Hybrid Theory are just about done, I'll have more room for other stories. The concept for this fic came from **Sakural7865**, and so I am writing it for her~ I was going to wait, but the words kept coming so thus is why it lays before thee now -smiles- I do hope it is enjoyable! owo

Please read and enjoy -bows again-

**Crimson Tide**

**Storytime**

Somewhere behind her, the thunder rumbled above the sea. Lightening still far-off in the distance flashed in sky, announcing the approach of the summer storm. She had to do this quickly, before the waves began to act up and, ultimately, the child in her arms would die. Calmly, she swam through the settled water, dark from the night sky. Once, maybe twice more, her eyes peered down to the newborn baby.

Blond hair was darkened from the water, and the eyes that peeked up at her from time to time were decidedly of a clear, green color. No human's eyes could be such a beautiful color rivaling that of the expansive ocean. It was those eyes that had her realize that the baby was one of her kind.

She broke the surface of the water when the familiar form of a small dock shadowed above her. Warm summer breezes blew over her skin - over the scales dotting her arms as she brought the sleepy baby girl up. Sitting right over the edge of the dock was a man with pearly-white hair and equally pale skin, as if his being had been produced from the full moon's grace. Despite the shade of his hair, his features were mature, but young.

Violet eyes glanced down at the mystical woman, and he smiled. He knew her, and had since she herself had been brought to him as an infant in someone else's arms. All the mothers brought their newborns to him within a few days of their birth. It was a heartbreaking process, but one that had to be done. It was decided a long time ago, centuries even - who it was and why they did it was unknown. _They _all followed it though, because it just was.

Something of amusement crossed the man's face as he looked down to the baby girl. "How strange, I never knew you caught," he said. His voice was deep, playful, lyrical.

"It's not mine," the woman replied tartly. Her voice held all the beauty of his, yet hers was like ocean winds, soft and lingering. That was normal too - for her kind, anyway. She extended her arms, holding the naked baby out to him. "But it is of us. I couldn't leave it to drown."

The man didn't reach out for the baby, but only tilted his head curiously, looking at her. "Isn't drowning a sort of past time for you all?" he said lightly, and yet with a completely serious face.

Thunder rumbled, a bit closer than before. She held the girl out, breaking further into the surface. Dark hair tangled with seaweed covered the large swell of her naked breasts as she stared him down with ruby-red eyes. "Take her, will you?" she insisted. "You know she'll die if she stays with us."

"Can't I relish this? I don't see you very often, do I?" the man said with a grin, putting his elbows on his knees and cupping his face. The gaze he gave her was that of adoration, yet for years she could never tell if it was sincere or not. Sometimes she thought it must be, for her belly was starting to grow with his child.

"You know I'm bonded here. I am ruler right now," she pointed out. The scales on her arms were beginning to dry out from being exposed to the air. She didn't even flinch when the man suddenly moved to grab her wrists. The baby's tiny, pudgy hands reached up to touch the long strands of white hair as he leaned over her.

Gently, without taking his purple gaze away from her red one, his hands took the child away from her. It fussed a little, trembling in his arms as he cradled it against him. "You're lucky I'm so kind," he told her with a chuckle.

"Captain of the Baskerville pirates, kind?" questioned the mystical woman, dipping into the water again until just her head was afloat. Her ink-black hair curled ominously over the water. A wicked smile played upon her lips. "You amuse me, Revis."

At this, he laughed, getting to his feet. "Ah, and you never cease to amuse me as well, my fair mermaid," he returned tenderly. He slipped off his cravat and carefully wrapped the baby's body in it. Really, he could both pretend and actually be quite vicious, but when it came to the merpeople, he took special care to protect them.

After all...

He nodded once to the dark-haired woman. "We'll be heading out to Celeon at daybreak."

"Find another hopeful prospect, did you?"

"Perhaps some of that treasure will be more valueable than others," Revis said knowingly, smile growing a bit darker.

Honestly, it made her uneasy to see that smile while holding that baby, so she decided to drop that subject. She glanced behind her - the lightening was growing brighter and bigger now, and the water was beginning to fuss. "I should go. The storm draws nearer. Do take care in the middle of it," she said. Red eyes gleamed back at the man for a brief second before she descended into the sea once more.

A few seconds later, his eyes caught a large red fish tail strike out further off in the water. Revis stared after her for awhile longer before slowly glancing down at the bundle in his arms. He didn't know any of the merpeople who had such eyes as this little lass.

"Oh shoot," cursed Revis, tapping the baby on the nose. "She left me to name you. Haah, what a hassle, no...?"

Clear emerald eyes peered up at him, full of ignorance. She had no idea a pirate held her, or that she was birthed from the sea. That was fine. Everything would be taught to her in due time.

"Suppose this makes me your father, then, eh?" The wooden planks of the dock creaked beneath his heavy boots as he walked back towards his ship. When the idea struck him, he said, "Well then, I guess _that _name would be fine. I haven't a knack for them, lass, you'll have to forgive me."

Tiny lips opened wide in a yawn, scrunching up the girl's small eyes as her little fists beat in the air briefly. Suddenly she was heavier in Revis' arms, although that still left her extremely light. The white-haired man chuckled, looking off at the swirling storm approaching. "Well, you'll have quite the journey ahead of you. Hope you don't get seasick, Rozannabelle."

She was already peacefully asleep.

Revis walked up the ramp to his ship, passing by a boy just past his teenage years. He glanced at the bundle in the man's arms and took a few steps forward. "That one of them?" he asked, peering into the makeshift blanket. "You're...keeping it in your dirty cravat?"

"How rude, Fang," chastised Revis, pulling Rozannnabelle away from him overdramatically. "That is not how a mate greets a new member. Of course she has to come with us, since we're casting off within a few hours. By then the storm will be over and we can ride the winds caught in the aftermath."

Fang shrugged, running a hand through his sandy hair. "Fine. I'm going to go get Doug; it's about his time for lookout duty anyway," he declared. Before disappearing into the cabin, he turned back and called, "Oh, and Oswald is in your quarters. I think he was waiting for you."

"That's fine. I should introduce our new daughter, anyway," lilted Revis. When he got to the worn, black-painted door, he held Rozannabelle with the ends of his cravat, leaving her hanging by his hand like a sack. Whoever claimed a captain of pirates was good with children was sorely mistaken.

But that's why he had Oswald. Inside, sitting in Revis' chair, was a man in his early twenties. His face was terribly handsome and somewhat impassive, raven hair framing his placid countenance, complimenting his slanted eyes the same beautiful violet as Revis'. There was a battered little crib tucked away in one corner of the room, hidden by a dark sheet serving as a curtain. Oswald was staring into the crib but slowly cast his gaze onto the captain as he stepped in.

"Look, found a playmate for Eleonora," Revis declared, literally dropping Rozannabelle into Oswald's lap. The baby started with a twitch, but she remained alseep. Revis ignored the scowl Oswald gave him as he automatically cradled her to him.

"Whose child?" he asked curiously, gazing down at the sleeping Rozannabelle.

Revis nodded, plopping himself on top of his desk, piled with various sheets of paper, quills, and a compass. With a contemplative hum, he lit the lantern hanging above them, bathing them in soft orange light. "Indeed, she doesn't have the features of any one of the merpeople. And that's including the possibility of them sharing a bed with a human," he added. With a small smile, he said, "Lacie brought the lass to me, though."

A frown creased Oswald's brow. Revis knew what was going to be asked, and had known since he saw Lacie's enchanting face appear from the sea. "How...was she?" murmured Oswald, slowly getting up and making way to the crib. Inside was another girl of a little over a year old, thick black hair covering her head.

"Oh, she is her usual self. Though since the storm is just yonder, she took her leave early. Funny, is it not? Rulers of the merpeople were said to be able to control the weather over the waters, yet there she was literally turning tail from it." Revis watched as the raven-haired man lightly placed Rozannabelle beside the other baby girl. The blond slowly leaned into the new warmth so like its own, settling once more to sleep. Oswald's violet eyes gazed down at the scene with slight endearment.

Smirking, Revis remarked, "You're so precious. I don't know why I made you my first mate."

And just like that the endearment left as Oswald claimed with a straight face, "I'm sure I'm the only one who can deal with how eccentric you are, Captain."

"Ahaha! You're so brutal to me, Oswald," laughed Revis, getting down from the desk. Putting Lacie and the new child out of his mind, he sat on his chair, going back to the notes he left out. The map spread out in front of him was charting the way to Celeon, where it was rumored a cargo ship was carrying some rather interesting items...

_If we can find another piece, I'll be that much closer_, he thought, putting ink on his quill.

At first, there was nothing but Revis concentrating in marking the rest of the course with thunder rumbling in the background. He hardly noticed when Oswald stepped in front of him, gazing at him in slight worry.

"Are you certain we should be taking the two of them over such a journey?" he asked.

Revis needed no indication he meant the babies. He waved dismissively with the hand holding his quill, not even tearing his eyes away from the map. "You worry too much, Oswald. Loosening up would be good for you. This pirating at Celeon will do the trick." Resting the quill in the ink jar, he leaned back on his chair. "After Celeon, we'll go to Sablier. We'll have to be fast, though - I hear Pandora is on to our course. Crimson Shell is in Sablier, and that's where Rozannabelle can spend her fifteen years."

"You said Lacie found her, though," Oswald pointed out, lips turned down in a grimace. "Who will she return to when she's to return to the sea?"

Shrugging, Revis said, "I'm sure Lacie will be accepting of her. Why not?" Then he chuckled. "Or will you play Papa again like you're doing with Eleonora?"

Oswald twitched. Revis smiled, not unkindly, but sardonically. Oswald's nature never ceased to amuse him. And if it was one thing Revis loved to be, it was amused. That's why the Baskervilles meant so much to him.

The raven-haired man didn't respond, but merely bid Revis goodnight before leaving to a small cabin ajacent from the captain's. It was mostly because Oswald liked being by himself...and because Revis could easily yell at him in the middle of the night (when he was in a less-than-courteous mindset) to "_shut the damn brat up why the hell do I have to take these damn snots onto my ship I'm a godshittin' pirate for fuck's sake_!"

As the door to Oswald's cabin closed, Revis marked a new more notes before stopping. He glanced at the crib in the corner, reaching out to close the curtain once more. There was a reason Revis had Eleonora, and now Rozannabelle, so close to his desk and bed. Not many knew about the mythical creatures dwelling beneath the waves - or if the did, they wrote the merpeople off as legend.

But two big groups of people knew they were real, and would do anything to have them. One was the Baskervilles, Revis' band of pirates. The other were an organization known as Pandora, composed of four noble families who made it their "mission" to stop the Baskervilles.

Of course, Revis would never allow that to happen. Pandora would not stop him and the task passed down to him. His eyes fell onto his black pistol resting on the desk as if he expected a member of the organization to suddenly break open his door. Almost darkly, he wanted it to happen. He'd kill every last one of them after what they did a century ago.

Turning off the lantern, the white-haired man shed off his coat and sat on his bed. His gaze ventured off out his sand-dusted window, to the dark sea that was becoming more and more restless. _Just as I am_.

The first droplets of rain fell, and the waves began to rock the ship gently. Behind the curtain and inside the battered crib, two babies snuggled closer, as if nothing was more soothing.

* * *

**Ending A/N: **Not much to say this round. Oh! I don't own Oz's girl name, it was originally thought up by **Val-Creative** in her Femslash!Ozbert fic _You Know You Love Me_. I bet it's obvious who Eleonora is. Oh yes -smiles evilly- yes, many more shall be sexbent in this story~ Await it~

Reviews/critiques/comments/questions? Please do :3


	2. I: Pools of Green

**A/N: **This was supposed to be out yesterday, but alas, it got a bit...hectic on my end. Now that I'm in college, expect all sorts of erratic behavior from my updates - you know, more so than usual. Still, I'll try hard to be able to update.

In any case, here's the next chapter of _Crimson Tide_! This one was interesting because I don't have much experience writing with Vincent and Gilbert. So let's see how this goes~ Oh, and yes, Vincent is a girl. Why? Because the sexbend decreed it so -puts on "Deal with It" sunglasses-

**I: Pools of Green**

Sandy grit filled Gilbert's mouth when the strong hand that gripped his collar shoved him outside. It was a remarkable feat within itself considering he was a grown man of twenty-four and could've easily stood his own...if he was inclined to. Vinny wasn't far behind, landing right beside him with a shout as she too was tossed. Gilbert reached for his younger sister's hand, spitting out the dirt from his mouth.

"Vinny, are you alrigh-?"

Blond hair, stringy and limp from denied bathing priviledges, whipped over Vinny's cheeks as she glared daggers at the man who tossed them out of the inn. "Do what you want with me, but don't you _dare _hurt Gil!" she shouted, balling her hands into fists.

A gruff scoff of disgust left the innkeeper as he loomed threateningly over the siblings. "I have no use for some slut stinging away all my customers," he growled. There was a patchwork bag in his hand that he tossed out to them as well, the few clothes and possessions they had half-tumbling out. Gilbert frowned and submissively picked them up, stuffing them back in the bag.

Before Gilbert could even stop his sister's mouth from shooting off, she hissed, "It wasn't Gil that stole that woman's jewelry box. Don't punish him for something he didn't do!"

Unaffected, the innkeeper warned, "Show your face here again, and you'll be the ones in a box!" With that, the door to the inn closed with a bang.

As soon as he slung the strings of the bag over his shoulders, Gilbert gripped Vinny's shoulder tightly, as if she were a child. "Vinny, don't do anything," he said firmly, pulling her back. "It's done, alright? We should just get out of here."

As mad as she must have been, his sister's expression melted into one of adoration as she locked eyes with him. "Oh, Gil, you're much too nice," she sighed, looking down. From one of the baggy pockets of her dress, she pulled out a wooden box bigger than her hand. It was etched with beautiful carvings of lilies, and jangled a little from within as Vinny took it out.

Really, Gilbert knew all along, but it didn't stop him from quickly dragging her down the street. Luckily, it was still early morning and, despite the ruckus, no one seemed to be walking about to witness their suspicious activity.

Vinny, as usual, didn't seem to notice or care about these things as rummaged through the box while walking. "It looks mostly fake, but then again, I suppose these earrings might-"

"Vinny!" Gilbert snapped, giving her a stern look. He took the stolen jewelry box and shoved it back into her dress pocket, out of sight. "Damn it, why did you do that?"

His sister's eyes narrowed, an eerie action she was able to perfect after twenty-three years. The dangerous effect was only helped with the unusual colors of her eyes. They were mismatched, her left eye the same melted gold hue as Gilbert's while her right was a deep, blood red. Gilbert was used to those eyes. The same, however, couldn't be said about others in this coastal town.

Following up on those thoughts exactly, Vinny laughed dryly. "Why do you think, brother? I heard what that whore said about my eyes. But I can handle that," she reassured flatly, crossing her arms. "What I couldn't ignore was that she talked about you, too. Talking down like she was any more superior than us, who've been orphans most of our lives."

With great patience, Gilbert sighed and released his hold on Vinny. "You should know by now just to take it. Not just any place will take us in, even though we're grown enough and are willing to work." The thought alone makes him sigh again, a bit more frustrated this time.

"Brother?"

Gilbert shook his head. "It's fine. I guess... Do you want to go to the lighthouse again?" he finally asked, turning away. He didn't want Vinny to see his tired expression.

His sister's voice was light and sing-song when she wrapped her hands around one of his biceps. "I'll go anywhere if Gil is there," she declared.

Cool, briny air flew over the coastal town, peaceful and quiet. In the near distance was the beach, and, topped upon one of the short, rocky cliffs, was the lighthouse. Whenever there was no work for them, that's where they lived. The ground was hard and right now the December air certainly didn't help matters. Still, it was a roof over their heads.

It was abandoned for several months now, with no light shooting out toward the seas. After the town fell out of favor due to rumors of pirates floating around the area frequently, the port was no longer in use and ships stopped passing by. Still, Sablier managed to stay on its feet, albeit shakily, by trading with inner lands. As it was, that meant the lighthouse stopped being used as well, which suited Gilbert and Vinny just fine - before the lighthouse, their rebound home had been an abandoned factory filled with rats and feces.

The padlock on the door was now more or less of a joke considering Vinny had picked it open within seconds as if it had been mere child's play for her. It sort of disturbed Gilbert to know that while he was with his sister most of the time he still didn't know where she found the leisure to perfect these skills.

Sounds of the waves crashing onto the cliff below echo in the lighthouse as the two siblings go up the winding staircase, a window dotting beside them every few feet. When they got to the top, a few skittish seagulls cried out and flew away.

Gilbert plopped their bag down and slid down next to the stand holding the lenses of the lighthouse, already feeling tired than he should be. Tomorrow he'd have to search through town again for a job. It was either that, or move on to the next town. They had already spent two years here.

Vinny moved over next to him. "Brother, you look so tired," she pointed out with a tilted head.

"I'm not tired."

"Well, now your voice is tight. Are you angry?"

Ignoring the fascinated glint in his sister's eyes, Gilbert said, patiently, "I'm not angry, either, Vinn. I just wish..." He drifted off, not knowing how he had planned to finish that statement. Vinny's long blond hair flew out toward him in the winter breeze, and the raven-haired man shivered, looking down. "N-nothing, I just don't like it when other people talk about you. You should've told me about that woman, instead of taking her jewelry box."

Vinny's smile was carefree and a bit too sweet. Other than her sinister grin, she had no other remotely friendly expression. "Aah, but it's as I said, I don't care what they say about me. Gil is much more important and precious. At least I have this eye," she touched over it, "but there's nothing wrong with you. They're just associating you with me. I give Gil so much trouble."

Not this talk again. Over the years, they had it too many times, it seemed. The reason they had become orphans in the first place was because of the red hue of Vinny's eye. Even then, at that young age, Gilbert knew better than to leave his sister alone, and left their parents as well. Not that neither could remember much about them.

And no matter what town they went to, the disdain for Vinny's eye was the same.

He shook his head. "It's not your fault for anything, okay? Just...tell me next time," he finished lamely, sounding repetitive.

Even though Vinny was still grinning at him as she promised, Gilbert knew better than to believe her. He slowly followed her gaze out the open-air windows, toward the pale-gray-blue sea, still hazy in the distance from the winter morning mist.

"I bet the pawn shop is still open," she remarked, getting up. "I'm going to go sell all this off before word gets around about it."

Gilbert didn't even try to stop her. When it came down to it, money was always a nice thing to have. And who knew when they'd be able to get a job again. "I'll go with you," he offered, stretching a little as he rose up as well, only to have Vinny push him down with his shoulder. "Eh, what the heck, Vinn?"

"Stay here, brother. I'm a grown woman, I can do these things by myself, you know." She laughed, pressing a hand to her chest. "Although I must admit, I'm happy you're worried about me." Twirling around, she began to descend the stairs. "Be a good brother and wait here until I get back, okay?"

Gilbert shook his head, but fondly. Vinny always treated him like a child and like an admired adult at the same time. A weird combination, but one Vinny was too good at making work.

Plopping himself flat on his back, Gilbert ran a hand through his dark, wavy hair. It was a stark difference to Vinny's straight, golden-spun locks.

Job hunting would have to start as soon as possible, before any other prospects took the positions. Usually it was younger children that ended up taking the jobs - employers were more sympathetic toward them than two adults. One time Vinny casually suggested about working on the streets.

Needless to say, Gilbert had been less than approving when she told him what job that was.

The sun was still nothing than some gray light from the winter mist and Gilbert shivered, trying to bury himself deeper into his coat. Sleep would be nice. And the sounds of the waves, the taste of salt in the air - it had always been a pleasant feeling to Gilbert. Slowly, he closed his eyes. Really, he didn't want to sleep, didn't want Vinny to come in and see that he had been too tired. Gilbert liked to be alert.

And maybe that was why, even through his haze of sleepiness, he heard the shrill voices.

Frowning, Gilbert opened his eyes, staring up at the lighthouse's ceiling, listening. There it was again, the sound of...a shriek? Or was that a laugh?

Slowly, Gilbert rolled over and got up, going over to one of the open-air windows, peering out. The waves were foamy and white the closer they were to the cliff, spraying out. It was morning, but still he doubted anyone would go out for a swim or something in the middle of December.

"...I probably just imagined it," he declared after searching for a few seconds. He was about to step back, when golden sunshine caught his eyes - which was ridiculous because the sun's rays wouldn't be so purely yellow at this time...

It wasn't the sun. But pretty close to it.

Down below, dancing through the gray-blue waves of the sea was a girl. She was definitely younger than Gilbert, maybe somewhere in her teenaged years. Her slender arms were spread open, looking like she glided over the water, her shoulder-length blond hair whipping around in the wind like a halo. Scales of silver-white and crimson danced around her below the depths of the water - must be fish.

She was awfully far off in such cold water. Gilbert was a big worry-wart, a trait Vinny would refer to endearingly. As each wave crashed around the girl, Gilbert cast anxious glances from her to her closing proximity with the cliffs.

"H-hey," he said, but his small voice was nowhere near loud enough to be heard over the commotion of the water. Louder, he shouted from the top of the lighthouse, "Hey! You should get away from this area! You'll get yourself hurt, you know! And the water must be freezing!"

At first, Gilbert thought maybe she hadn't heard him. But then suddenly she stopped dancing through the water already up to her chest and looked around. Finally, her head turned up, and even from that distance, Gilbert thought he saw something that might be blue or green - her eyes looking straight at him.

And she waved.

Blushing, Gilbert tried not to get distracted. "Y-you shouldn't play right near the cliff!" he shouted again.

The girl gave out a loud, giggly laugh. Her voice was small, but so cute and playful when she called back up, "I'm fiiiine, Mister, thank you for your concern though~! I'm out here alllll the time, so it's okay~!"

Well...well Gilbert wasn't sure if he found that reassuring at all. He fidgeted, pressing his lips together. Whether or not she was used to it, there were always currents and... Gilbert shook his head, looking away. Whatever, if she said she was okay, he should really trust her and-

"Eeeek!"

Instantly, the raven-haired man was all but leaning over the railing of the window, looking down below just in time to see the girl get knocked off her feet by one particularly large wave. She flailed for a few seconds before the water took her under. More and more waves crashed into her, giving her little chance to recover.

Gilbert was dashing down the spiral stairs of the lighthouse immediately, jumping over the last six steps. He nearly tripped, scuffing his boots against the sand as he stumbled out of the building and ran down the incline of the cliff. Golden eyes searched desperately through the waves, trying to find a hint of the girl - her arms, legs, her blond hair...

A wet hand flailed out for less than a second before disappearing. Gilbert huffed, picking up his pace. He shed off his long, black jacket, tossing it into the sand as his boots splashed and squelched in the wetness before him. Now Gilbert wasn't much of a swimmer, but he hoped at least he'd be able to take the waves while dragging the girl to shore. There was a garbled cry in the distance as he got further out, the cold water paralzying his muscles, but he pressed forward. Each crash of wave brought more cold, and Gilbert shivered, hands reaching out.

"Where are you?!" he cried, getting a mouthful of water in return. He moved his arms and legs desperately, searching through the water with stinging eyes. Oh, what if he was too late... What if she got tossed into the rocky base of the cliff? What if the tide had driven her further out? What if a wave suddenly thrusted her into his open arms-?

Gilbert blinked, shocked when suddenly the girl's weight slammed into his chest. He struggled to keep his footing against the current, but wrapped his arms over her. He didn't know how he was expected to hold her, but it didn't matter, not when she could drown. Gilbert looked down at her as he tried to turn himself around, only to find he was further out than he thought.

The girl coughed, but her eyes were closed. That was okay, as long as she was alive. Gilbert fought against the water, but his boots were getting heavy with water, and he kicked them off with a curse, still swimming for shore.

"It's okay," he said again and again, between gasps for air and coughing up saltwater. Seaweed tangled itself into them, and he jumped when something - _somethings_ - mooth and somewhat slimy brush against his legs. It didn't feel like seaweed, but...fish scales? The scales nudged against him, a force propelling him forward. Gilbert made a small noise of protest, but then he realized he was being _pushed to the shore_. Gilbert didn't dare look down, as if this were some magic that would break if he saw the cause of it. It certainly felt like it.

With one last rolling wave, Gilbert collapsed onto the wet sand, back first so that the girl was cradled on top of him. He sucked in air greedily, as if it would get taken away in the next second. His lips and fingertips and toes immediately began to numb from the cold.

"Are you okay?" he breathed, looking down at the girl. Slowly, he sat up, keeping his golden eyes on her. There were very light freckles over her cheeks, barely visible. Her eyes were still closed and her clothes were...

Wait.

She wasn't...

...wearing any clothes...

Gilbert suppressed a shriek, not knowing what to do. Because naked girls didn't drown all the time, did they? Who went out in these freezing waters _naked_? What...what the hell was _wrong_ with this girl! Gilbert looked pointedly away, face flushing at the sight of blond hairs ending right above perky breasts - _not that he had looked or anything_!

His jacket was a few feet away. Quickly, the raven-haired man got up, not daring to look down as he scooped up the black clothing and tossed it over the girl. Her head lolled against his chest, her breath tickling against him. At least she was still alive. Gilbert was so grateful for that, but she'd die of cold if he didn't get her into something...!

"Wh-what's your name? Can you hear me?" he asked shakily, climbing up the incline of the cliff. Her slender body, dotted with sand and clinging with seaweed just like him, rocked against his chest. He heaved her up again, readjusting his hold on her as he flung open the door, not even bothering to close it behind him. More than once he almost slipped going up the narrow stairs, so he breathed deeply, forcing himself to calm down.

At the top, he cradled her to him, reaching into his bag and pulling out a small blanket. Gilbert figured it'd be better than her laying on the bare, cold floor. Gently, he lowered her onto the blanket, thick wool covering it. He left his jacket on top of her, rubbing it against her shoulders to warm her up.

Damn, damn...! Gilbert knew she was breathing, and she wasn't coughing up water. If anything, she...appeared to be sleeping. Gilbert's worried expression slowly melted, his facial muscles relaxing. Finally, a relieved breath left him, suddenly feeling more tired than before.

Then the girl's eyes were blinking slowly up at him, opening. Gilbert's breath caught. Ah, green. Definitely green. Such a beautiful, clear verdant hue...like pools of water. Gradually, a smile played upon the girl's slightly-open lips and she giggled softly. "You have seaweed in your hair," she pointed out teasingly, looking a little higher than his eyes.

Gilbert blinked, not processing her words at first. Then all at once it hit him and he grimaced as he plucked off every bit of seaweed from his unruly locks, blushing. Honestly, could he ever not get the short end of the stick? "Uh, um..." He looked back down to her face, her eyes still lazily open. "Can I get you anything?"

"I'm just tired," she admitted with a shrug. "I wasn't supposed to be out today, especially with my fifteenth birthday coming up so close..." She sighed and snuggled deeper into Gilbert's jacket. The raven-haired man tried not to smile too wide at how cute it was. But he wasn't thinking that! No, nope! Gilbert wasn't like that, he had to have almost ten years on the girl! "Thank you for the jacket and blanket."

"Is it...enough? I-I can do more! I have a sister - she's older than you, so the clothes might now fit..." He blushed deeper, shaking his head. "Th-that is, I noticed you didn't have any clothes on, but I-I promise I'd never... I'm not that kind of..."

A laugh left the girl, her naked shoulders shaking. "Mister Seaweed-head, you don't have to worry about that. I trust you. You tried to warn me, after all, and now you saved me." She seemed genuinely happy at the thought, reaching out to poke his knee.

It was hard not to recoile from her finger. "Wh-what's your name?" he stuttered out. His clothes were clinging to him rather uncomfortably with the mix of water and salt. But he could look for new clothes later. What mattered now was her. "Do you live around here?"

Green eyes got hazy, a sleepy glaze in them as she began to nod off. "Mmn... I'm Oz...," she murmured groggily, yawning unceremoniously. "Live...in sea... My birth...day..." Within seconds her breathing was even and Gilbert was left looking down at a sleeping girl.

He frowned slightly as he got another blankets from the patchwork bag and slipped it around her. Only when he was _absolutely_, **_positively_ **sure she was asleep did Gilbert frantically began to tear off his sea-soaked clothes. A warm bath would be heaven right now, but for now he'd have to make do with just changing into new clothes. Gilbert gave Oz a look and suppressed a sigh. Oy. Vinny was going to love her. Gilbert never exactly saved a naked girl from the sea before, so he didn't know how his sister would react.

That being said, Gilbert never met anyone who claimed to live in the sea?

He was pretty sure he hadn't misheard that.

* * *

**Ending A/N: **This had more attached to it, but I decided to leave it off for next chapter -nods-nods- And surely it's obvious those "fish" were not such, oho~ Oh, and before anyone asks, Oz isn't a mermaid yet. More on that next chapter as well -smiles- As well as a reintroduction to the Baskervilles as well~

Shame on you, Gil, touching a naked girl -smirks- I hope it was enjoyable, and hopefully next chapter will come sooner since part of it is written this time. Anyway, reviews are very nice things. I'd like to know what you think! -rolls in a spaz-


	3. II: Rolling Waves

**A/N: **My apologies for how long this took! Thank you to all the few people who favorited and followed~ I shall try to make this enjoyable for you all~ I thought this would be longer, but when I stopped to think about the ceremony, I realized it'd be better for next chapter to try to cover that. Not to mention the whole thing with Vinny that you'll see at the end of this chapter.

Enjoy, all! -bows-

_**II: Rolling Waves**_

Leo sighed, crossing her arms and tilting her head somewhat impatiently. Really, she was a rather composed girl most of the time, but this was taking too long. She was supposed to have been in town by now, but no, she had woken up from the ship only to find out from the twins that Rozannabelle had escaped from Crimson Shell. Again. She'd probably have more admiration for her younger sister had this not been the uptenth time for the blond to escape.

"If they can't even keep an eye on a teenager, what use are they?" she huffed, tapping her boot against the wet rocks. Wind blew her long skirts and made her long hair even more tangled. At the moment she was at the base of one small cliff, hopping from wet rock to wet rock until the waves of the ocean were splashing up near her. She was a fair distance away, although still not too far from the shallow water of the shore...

At last, two figures popped up from beneath the surface of the water, washing up onto the rocks. To the disbelieving eye, they would appear to be like large fish. One of each had scales of red and silver that shimmered under the water. But Leo knew better than to take them for something like fish - they were much more mystical than that.

Crouching down and leering down at them, she chastised, "There you two are. You took your sweet time, didn't you?"

Two girls - or at least, girls from the waist up - stared up at her, both with the same purple eyes that Leo knew one annoying captain to have. Both of them had incredibly long hair - one with locks of chocolate, and the other of snow.

The one with white hair and silver scales running over her tail pouted slightly. "We were playing with Rozannabelle. She deserves some fun. Or did you forget today was her birthday today, Eleonora? And you call yourself her sister."

Leo laughed lightly, trying to compose herself after hearing her full name. Only Revis did that because he knew it pissed her off. Oswald did it, too, but Leo didn't take as much offense when it was her foster father... These two twins however, did it purely for teasing reasons. "You're like your father in a scary way, you know," she said. "And I heard Lacie was going to take Oz in once _it _happens? That'll make her your sister too, you know."

"Then that means we're related," Alice concluded flatly.

"Indeed, so let's not start our new relationship by you making big sister impatient, okay?" lilted Leo with a smile, putting her fingertips together. When Alyss and Alice gave her a more submissive look, she nodded approvingly. "There we go. Now, where is she? Like we know, it's her fifteenth birthday today, so she shouldn't be out and about."

The spark was rekindled on their countenances. Alice and Alyss exchanged a look, seeming eager to share the news, as if they were but little girls with a secret. Smiling, Alice blurted, "Alyss and I were playing with Oz, see. She was being all bored and so were we, so we called her up from her room to come into the ocean with us."

Leo's dark eyes scanned out to the blue-gray water, searching for traces of peach skin and golden hair. "Then why isn't she here now? Still out playing?"

A giggle left Alyss, her cheeks pink. "She's playing with a _man_," she said with a smile, seeming very pleased with the idea.

Except Leo was less than estatic. "You left her alone with a man? A _human_? Today?" Now the raven-haired girl rarely lost her composure, especially to panic, but if today wasn't just the most terrible day for this to happen... She smacked her hand on her forehead when the twins nodded. "Ugh, your stupid father is going to not let me hear the end of this..."

Alice rolled her eyes, crossing her arms as she propped herself on the rocks, the end of her scarlet tail splashing languidly in the water. "That guy she's with is pitiful though, he couldn't even swim," she scoffed, obviously less amused by the mysterious male then her sister was. "Doesn't make sense though, the guy's head is covered with seaweed. We had to help him before the poor idiot drowned with Oz."

Alyss shoved her twin. "Don't be mean. I thought he was rather handsome," she said with a giggle.

Ignoring that comment, Leo frowned. "Wait, drowned with Oz? She knows how to swim perfectly well." _Oz, what are you doing now, you troublesome girl? _she thought with a hint of fondness. Figuring she had heard enough, she straightened up and smoothed over her shirts. "Well, where did they go?"

Alyss pointed over to the old lighthouse on top of the other, taller cliff. "She's up there. When the man saved her, he took her up there."

Leo glanced up at the lighthouse. She hadn't been in Sablier long, but if she recalled correctly, it was abandoned. So not only was Oz with a human man, she was in an abandoned lighthouse with him. Even though Leo was perfectly aware Oz could handle herself, it didn't stop the raven from feeling for the gun in the holster beneath her skirt.

Nodding, she began to walk away. "Thank you. You two have been a great help. If you would, keep this from Revis. The last thing I need is getting an earful from him."

Alyss nodded, smiling cheerfully. "See you at Oz's ceremony then!" she said, flipping backward into the water, scales glittering over the surface before she disappeared beneath the watery depths. Alice mirrored the gesture and followed her sister.

Oz'z ceremony, hmm. Leo glanced down to the rolling waves, the white wash spraying up to the sky, thinking of how after tonight, she wouldn't have a need to come back to Sablier again. After all, the whole reason the Baskervilles, no matter that they were a band of pirates, came back to Sablier once a year was so she could see Oz...

After tonight, though...

Leo smiled a little, but she wasn't sure with what emotion exactly. Finally she turned and began her walk to the lighthouse. Well, the sooner she retrieved Oz, the better. Girls shouldn't be out with grown men. But then suddenly a voice called out to her again and she stopped.

"Oh, Eleonora, you might want to know one more thing!" called Alyss, waving her arm to get the older girl's attention.

Leo spun around, prepared to hear something horrible. "What is it?" she asked, blinking.

"_Rozannabelle is naked_!"

Honestly, Leo didn't know whether to run to the lighthouse now or burst into laughter.

* * *

Sand was crusting in his tangled black hair, but at least he had dry clothes on now, and Gilbert certainly couldn't complain about that. It had been close to an hour now and still the mysterious Oz had yet to wake up. Gilbert's only comfort was that she was alive, but how long until she woke up? Surely she had a family and such worrying about her - he needed to escort her home as soon as possible.

He just had to hope Oz had a tendency of going about naked often enough that her parents wouldn't be horrified at the sight of him with her. He flushed deeply and shook his head, burying his face in his hands. Okay, no, bad idea. Better to wait until Vinny got here. Surely she'd know what to do...

Except his sister hadn't come back from the pawn shop yet, either.

Gilbert liked to think he could handle a lot of things rather well. It may not have seemed like it, but he was mostly together and rational when dealing with a situation. So he told himself right then that he could handle this just as well as anything else.

He sat up straighter, nodding in approval to his resolve. Yes, he could do this.

"Are you just going to keep sitting there all silent, Mister Seaweed-head?"

He couldn't do this-!

Gilbert jumped, shocked when he realized large green eyes were staring up at him inquistively. For a second, he forgot he had the ability to speak. W-words, where were his words? "Ah..." Yes, good, Gilbert, that was a sound, now she knows you're not dead. Blinking, he shook he head again. "I'm sorry. I thought you were still resting. How do you feel? I could get you some fresh water if you need it. O-or the clothes, you know..."

A small, kind smile played upon Oz's rose-petal lips. "I'm fine, Mister Seaweed-head. Water would be nice, yes."

Gilbert nodded, getting up and reaching into the bag he carried in. At the bottom were two canteens of water, and the raven handed her his. Oz sat up, stretching a little. The black coat that had previously been covering her slid down her skin, baring her collar and breasts.

She laughed when Gilbert pointedly looked away as she took the canteen. "You're a grown man, aren't you? Handsome, too. Surely you've seen a bare lady before," she said, but spared his embarrassment by pulling the coat back up to cover her.

Not really. That is, Vinny had changed around him enough that he knew what was what and the kind of body that was underneath the clothes of women, but he hadn't... Instead of answering, he said, "Um, my sister should be here soon. We'll take you home. You can rest more until then."

After taking another gulp of water, Oz scowled. Huffing, she turned her head dramatically, her long blond hair whipping over her shoulders. "I don't want to go back there," she declared in a grumble. "I'm not going back until the ceremony. I can't bare to be there a second more."

Gilbert blinked in surprise. "What do you mean? You have to return home. I'm sure your family is worried out you, Oz," he said softly, looking down. It certainly was more than he could ever say about himself.

A scoff left Oz and she took a long swing from the canteen as if she were an alcoholic with liquour. She slammed the canteen back down and laid on the floor again, burying herself into Gilbert's coat childishly. "Nooope!" she lilted stubbornly. "They're not even my family, it's just the people I was dumped to live with for fifteen years. They keep me locked in there, and expect me to be a good little girl all the time."

"But... That means you ran away from them?" Gilbert asked slowly.

Oz shook her head, hair rustling against the coat. "Not really. I have to go back tonight. Tonight will be when I am finally free from all of them. I'll...maybe have a real family then. I'll get to be with Alice and Alyss all the time. And see Leo more, too..."

Tonight? Was that when that ceremony she mentioned would happen? Gilbert wondered what ceremony it could be. He wasn't familiar with anything like that, and it made him more confused to think about it. And she was going on about real family and such - what was that about? Then the raven-haired man remembered perhaps the most peculiar thing she said so far...

"Oz, where do you live? You were saying something about the sea. Does your fam-the people you live with travel on the sea a lot?" After thinking her comment over, this had been the only conclusion he had been able to come to.

Oz moved the coat a little to peek at him. "I said that? Hmm, Leo would kill me if she learned that..."

Gilbert tensed a little, because suddenly he felt another presence inside the lighthouse. It must have been Vinny and the raven-haired man got up to greet her.

Except this young woman was certainly not Vinny. She was much shorter, her long dark hair tied back in a messy purple ribbon, a brighter shade than the midnight-purple of her eyes. Those eyes gave Gilbert a passing glance before they fell onto Oz. The girl crossed her arms, raising an amused brow.

"Ah," she began, making Oz jump up, "how mean that _Rozannabelle _thinks I would do such a thing to her."

"Guh!? L-Leo?" Her shock quickly turned to contempt. "You're using that name!"

Gilbert frowned, deeply confused. Who was this girl? How'd she know they were in here? And why did she have a guy's name? True, she didn't seem to be a threat, and she seemed to know Oz somehow... And wait... "R-Rozannabelle?"

Oz's quickly fixated her green eyes onto him. "Don't you go spouting that off, too! My name is Oz, okay? Oz!" she exclaimed, hopping up to her feet, fists clenched.

The dark-haired girl let out a deep breath, uncrossing her arms. "I didn't want to believe the twins when they said you were naked, but... Oz, a proper lady doesn't just reveal herself bare like that." Midnight-purple eyes flashed to Gilbert in warning and he sputtered, quickly turning around to face the other way. His face had gone scarlet the second his coat had fallen to the floor, leaving Oz naked again.

"Leo, don't do that, I want to be the one to tease him," said Oz sullenly.

"E-Excuse me?" exclaimed Gilbert, resisting the urge to turn around.

"He's not a toy," Leo said, but there was a trace of a smile on her lips that Gilbert caught. She extended her arm out, offering her hand to the blond girl behind him. "Well, come on then. You know why I'm here, and I have to say, I'm irritated. I had an important date in town today and you've made me extremely late for it."

"Date? You're only in Sablier for a few days out of the year!" Then Oz gasped. "Leo, Leo, do you have a _friendly relation _with a boy? I bet that's what it is! And you didn't tell your own sister, how meeeean!"

Unfazed, Leo only insistently held out her hand. "Don't change the subject. There's a lot to do before tonight, and I know if you don't get back to Crimson Shell in the next hour, we'll be hearing no end of it - Revis for me, and Xeno for you. Now come on, Oz. I don't want to do this either, but after tonight, it'll all be over, okay?" Her voice got softer as she said this, offering more comfort to the blond.

He knew next to nothing about the circumstances and this whole talk was making him even more confused than ever, but Gilbert certainly hoped that Oz would listen. If Leo meant well, it meant she had worried about Oz for this whole time, right?

For a few seconds there was a heavy silence then a deep breath behind him. Oz came into view, still naked. She took Leo's hand and had a firm look of thoughtfulness on her face. She nodded. "Okay, I'll go back then."

* * *

Oz looked back at the raven-haired man as she said this. He had really been so kind to her, even when she didn't listen to him, even when she pretended to drown and then teased him so. It made her want to smile and she grinned a little, waving at him. Both of them seemed to forget about her nakedness and the fact Leo was right there. The look in his golden eyes made it seem like he was confused, like he really wanted her to stay. What a curious expression.

"Thank you for everything, Mister Seaweed-head," she lilted, squeezing Leo's hand. Then the realization struck her and she blinked in surprise, laughing. "Ah, I don't even know your real name, hmm? Unless you like the nickname I gave you?"

She doubted he had minded, considering he never corrected her on it. But it really was such a fitting name, what a shame... Whatever thoughts that had been swirling in the man's head finally seemed to reach an abrupt halt and he replied, "Gilbert. My name is Gilbert."

Ah. That was a good name, too, Oz had to admit. It tugged at her heartstrings to hear it. Familiar yet not somehow. It fit as well. Gilbert. "Gil it is, then~," she said with a wink.

Pink dusted over Gilbert's cheeks as he looked down. "Th-that's fine," he said. He seemed to hesitate for a moment before going back over to where Oz had laid, bending down to pick up his coat. Her green eyes peered at him in question then flickered in realization as he handed the coat to her. "H-here. You shouldn't walk about like that."

Exchanging a look with Leo, Oz slowly let go of her hand and slipped her arms in through the sleeves. It was big on her, that much was obvious as she buckled it up, but it was also very warm. The fabric felt good on her skin and she twirled around, the large coat whipping around her ankles. She laughed, stopping and taking Leo's hand again. "Thank you very much! Gil is such a hero to the fair maidens, I seeee~"

Gilbert grunted in disbelief, shyly looking away as Oz said bye to him and began to go down the stairs with Leo.

"U-um, Oz!" called Gilbert.

She turned her head. "Yes, Gil? Better make it fast, Leo might really scold me," she chuckled, earning a dry laugh from the girl next to her.

"Um..." Golden eyes looked down as he fiddled with the buttons of his shirt. After another second, he locked gazes with her. "Happy birthday," he finally said.

Oh. That was certainly a thing to say. For once, Oz was floored, and she quite forgot about everything else around her for an instant as a sort of weird happiness filled her insides. Her birthdays had always made her so happy, because it meant another year closer to freedom - yet right now she was consumed by a different sort of bliss. Beaming, she said, "Thank you. Let's see each other again one day."

It had left her before she had a chance to think about it. What a shameful thing for her to promise. She wouldn't be able to see him again. Not with who she was.

Leo tugged her forward gently but insistently, breaking the mounting tension. "Come on," she murmured. Oz nodded, giving Gilbert another smile before trotting down the stairs.

As soon as the seawinds blew over them, engulfing them in the briny scent of the beach, Leo said, "See him again, hmm."

Oz wasn't surprised by the prompt and laughed dryly. "I wasn't thinking. But it's fine. He'll forget me quickly. I won't become some expectation in his life," she reassured her sister with a small shrug.

Pointedly, Leo's dark eyes glanced at the coat around Oz's shoulders, the black fabric that covered her body. "I don't think that constitutes as not being an expectation," she pointed out simply. "Won't he want that back?"

"Well, will you give it to him for me, Leo?" the blond asked.

Instead of answering, Leo only said, "Come on, maybe if we hurry, we can slip by unnoticed. Luckily today is the ceremony, so I think they'll be lenient with you."

"I'll say it was Robin's fault! It was his turn to guard me!" declared Oz. "Bird brain to match his bird name!"

"Now that's not nice, Oz, ha-ha..."

The wind picked up a little more. And mixed with the scent of the sea and sand was something else. Something smoky, comforting, and slightly spicy. Oz tucked her nose into the collar of the black coat and sniffed. Ah, it was Gilbert's scent. Oz closed her eyes. _I like this coat... I like it a lot_.

Her thoughts drifted to the events that would unfold later that evening. The sand felt cold and wet beneath her feet. Every other step, she clutched the grains with her toes, savoring the feel, memorizing it. Every movement of her legs was something she tried to carve into her mind, tucking it away for safe-keeping. Because she knew that this time tomorrow, she wouldn't be able to walk on the beach like this alongside Leo anymore.

Her life would begin in the sea. Among the others like her.

* * *

Night came and Gilbert laid awake in the lighthouse, a deep frown creasing his brow. Something had to be wrong. Very wrong.

Vinny still hadn't come home.

He got up and left the lighthouse, running into town. Welcome or not, something must've happened to his precious sister. And he wasn't about to wait around anymore to find out what it was.

* * *

**Ending A/N: **Unf, Fem!Leo please let Hitsugi-sama grope you... -has no shame nope-

I'm thinking about doing some Ozbert mini fics to exercise the pairing around more. It really has been too long since I've done it. Really dammit this is ridiculous... If you have a particular request, please PM me~ Or you can visit my tumblr as well and drop an ask~ -smiles-

I hope this chapter was enjoyable! What lies ahead~?


	4. III: Uncharted Seas

**A/N: **I wanted to hurry and get this out while I could. I'm actually in between classes right now, so yeah -huffs a little- The beginning of writing this chapter was a bit slow running but after it was all out, it was much better. After this, things will be proceeding a lot quicker, hee~ If there's anything you're confused by, go ahead and ask. I'm a bit scatterbrained nowadays in remembering what my plots are supposed to be like, so if I left any holes, don't hesitate to tell me -smiles- Please enjoy -bows-

_**III: Uncharted Seas**_

"As I thought," Leo said to her when Oz stepped out of her room that evening. "Peach is just your color. Much better to bring out that lovely face."

Oz didn't understand why she had to look so pretty in the first place. Usually she could joke and twirl around in her dresses for Leo but right now the pit in her stomach was making her feel hollow. No matter how much she tried to smile, she felt stinging needles behind her eyes the second the corner of her lips twitched.

For the next hour, she continued to let Leo have her way. The raven was perceptive, and surely she knew that Oz was feeling conflicted. So Leo filled the silence with idle talk, speaking of the latest places the Baskervilles had been to, of their newest conquests and acts of piracy – the kind of talk that were fantasy stories for some kids, but very much the life they were acquainted with. She smiled, exclaiming in the middle of some stories, "Well, you'll be able to see it for yourself now, won't you?"

When Leo finished weaving little pink and peach colored flowers into Oz's hair, the blond's chest constricted. She felt happy. She really did. This was the day she had been waiting for all her life. And yet… There came a certain pain to know she wouldn't sit in a warm room with Leo like this anymore, wouldn't get to sleep in a bed with her or follow her into bookshops.

And now, with Leo's fingers drawing away from her hair, leaving her, Oz felt the pain win out and she bit her glossy lip and trembled, tears falling down her cheeks quickly, as if ashamed they had been there in the first place. She quickly tried to blink them away before Leo saw, but then her sister's hands were on her shoulders, gripping them reassuringly.

Leo leaned in, gazing at the mirror they sat in front of into Oz's reflection, smiling softly. "You look beautiful, Rozannabelle," she complimented. "Don't think about anything else, because it doesn't matter. It's your birthday, and there's even more reason to celebrate because now…now you finally get to inherit your birthright."

Smiling through the tears, Oz knew Leo was right. She reached up, gripping her sister's hand tightly. "I love you, Leo," she murmured, voice watery.

Leo smiled too, kissing Oz on the cheek. "Yeah. I love you too," she returned with a small laugh. "But don't get all cheesy now. It's not the end of the world. Come on." She patted Oz back, turning towards the door. "I bet the others are ready by now."

* * *

It was a sea-side ceremony. Not something that was just in a building by the rolling waves or anything like that. No, Oz's ceremony was actually on the cool sand, and it stretched out well into the water. Right now she stood, barefoot, at the edge of the small dock, her hair rustling in the December wind.

Leo, a human and therefore not a part of the ceremony, stood off to one side on land, her form nothing but a dark blot behind Oz. The blond wished more than anything that Leo was right there to hold her hand. With her though were a few members of Crimson Shell, like Xeno and Robin. Oz's expression relaxed at seeing them, Xeno scowling and Robin practically bouncing in excitement. Their familiarity made her feel better and with renewed breath she turned toward the sea before her.

The wind picked up, tossing the thin skirt of her gossamer dress that did nothing to warm her in the chill. The flower tucked in her hair flickered then dashed off ahead of her, flying in the air before swirling down into the water. At the same second the petals began to float in the night-dark waters, a head surfaced from the winter calm of the sea.

Oz had heard of Lacie before, ruler of the merpeople, but never had she met her. She did know that she was the one to bring the blond to shore when she was a baby, that she was Alice and Alyss' mother, and that she was the lover of the captain of the Baskerville pirates. Or at least used to be. Oz wasn't sure, and neither was she certain how a relationship would work out between a mermaid and a human anyway. It used to be said that merpeople could transform their tails into legs again at will – but that was the stuff of legends. No sea dweller could actually do such a thing.

_Which is why I went out today. I wasn't going to spend my last day with my legs cooped up inside that place_, she thought. A trace of a grateful smile played upon her lips as she remembered no one in Crimson Shell had been as mad as they usually were.

_Finally. I'll be out of my prison_. Oz stared down at Lacie, taking in her ethereal beauty, thinking of the world she lived in – a world Oz had dreamed of all her life.

The ceremony was a short, simple thing. The ocean was unpredictable, but it was the calm – mysterious and gentle and deadly calm – that defined the waters. Lacie cast her red-eyed gaze up at Oz, piercing right into her mercilessly even as her soft, melodic voice began reciting,

It was in a language Oz had never heard of, maybe something faraway in her dreams, in the haze of images, perhaps someone had said something with that tongue, that lilt of words… Even though she didn't know what Lacie was saying, she felt their meaning in her very being, seizing her from deep inside in a way that made Oz think she understood – something inside her understood.

_Is this what has been sleeping inside me all my life, all these years_?

Lacie's words were a spell slowly weaving into Oz's being. Oz's lids were growing curiously heavy, her pink lips parted to let out barely perceptible breaths – was she falling asleep? Her feet were moving though of their own accord; she barely even registered their movement. The wind blew her skirt up, caressing her thighs as her arms reached down below her.

From the dark, nighttime depths Alice and Alyss broke through to the surface, their own arms up to take each of Oz's. The blond accepted their touch, closing her eyes as her feet got dangerously close to the edge of the wood, her toes curling over it.

"All things are born from the deep womb of the sea," Lacie said meaningfully, and Oz's trance was complete. Her foot reached out to take another step, and then she was being dragged down into the black waters, a rush of cold and hot pulsing right past her in a giant, crashing wave.

Her legs burned immediately, seeming to morbidly melt off from her. When the salt wasn't stinging her eyes, Oz opened them enough to see flashes of a light green light swirling around her. She couldn't feel Alice or Alyss' hands on her anymore, and her fingers flexed forward, trying to grasp but only gliding past cool water. Instinct told her to try to kick her legs, except only one of them was moving – unless that wasn't a leg…

All the air was being supplied to her yet she couldn't breathe, but not once – not once – did she writhe in pain, nor did she look back up to the shrinking sky above her as she sank further and further into the abysmal blue that she was born in.

Somewhere inside her was a human girl sitting on the beach and chuckling. _What a bad man you are, Mister Seaweed-head. Making me think of you right now…_

_Sorry. We probably can't play again._

* * *

Leo sat cross-legged on her bed. Really, it was just a little more than a mattress in a wooden frame tucked away in the corner of Revis' cabin. A few years ago, she readjusted the curtain around what had once served to hide her and Oz's crib away, and used it now to at least grant her a little privacy. And a little privacy was what she wanted at the moment.

Her dark eyes glanced outside the circular window, the town in clear view, but she wasn't looking at that. She was looking out there, into the vast expanse of undulating black, scoping out for any break in the water and getting her hopes up only to realize it was just the moonlight. With a small, tired sigh, she laid back, reaching behind her to let her hair loose.

Honestly, she didn't know how long these transformations from human to mermaid took getting fully used to. After all, it seemed like the number of those mythical creatures were quickly dwindling down, which meant ceremonies like Oz's didn't happen very often.

And unlike Oz, Leo wasn't a mermaid. Not that she had any complaints about it, although it did make her question more than once why Revis even bothered to take her in as a baby. The Baskerville captain was really not good with kids if her childhood was anything to go by, so she was fairly certain he refused to take in infants who weren't a part of the merpeople kind. Maybe Oswald had insisted it. She always saw him as a better father-figure anyway. Perhaps the raven-haired man had felt sympathy to an orphaned baby girl. But Leo never felt sorry for herself over it – these days, that kind of stuff was too common, children with no family.

Well. She and Oz were alike in that aspect then. Both of them didn't know their real parents and were taken in by the Baskervilles. At least Leo didn't have to worry about it because she really didn't care about that sort of thing like parents. But she knew Oz did care. She remembered days of them as little girls when Oz would ask all the time who were the parents she'd return to once she was a mermaid. It had been painful to hear, even for Leo who was only a year older and who didn't care about family.

And even though it had been settled that Oz would be with Lacie and years had passed, Leo couldn't help but wonder if Oz was so naïve as to ask Lacie about her parents as well.

Leo blinked, glancing away from outside and to the comfort of the ship's wooden walls. Oh, but why was she thinking of this depressing stuff anyway? Had she not been the one to insist to Oz that today was a day for celebration and happiness? Leo afforded herself a small smile. Yes, she was sure that once Oz adjusted, the blond would have the time of her life. And now that she wasn't confined inside Crimson Shell, the two sisters could see each other more often. And since Revis wasn't done with his errands here, they were going to stay one more day which meant Leo could make up for her lost date earlier that morning.

Leo focused on those brighter thoughts and curled up on her bed to sleep. A few seconds before she closed her eyes to be lulled by the creaking ship, she spotted the worn black fabric of a jacket splayed at the edge of her bed.

Oh yeah. That.

The next morning, Leo grabbed the jacket and slunk out of the ship, which was a skill she perfected after years of trying to get away from Revis' prying eyes. She had tied her hair back again, tucking her long bangs behind her ears that would probably come undone again anyway with the heavy breeze.

"Hmm, the guy in the lighthouse, right?" she asked out loud, walking across the said with a thoughtful expression. She couldn't keep herself from looking out to the sea covered with morning mist, wondering how Oz was doing.

"I'm doing this for you, you know," Leo said meaningfully. "If I didn't do this, you'd probably gripe at me. Although the jacket is nice, I would have no problems keeping it…" The raven looked up at the lighthouse. They had come here often enough that even with the lighthouse not working anymore, the Baskervilles were able to maneuver around to the dock at night.

_And now it's the home to that guy. I wonder what his story is,_ Leo thought absently, her feet hitting up the spiraling staircase up. Except when she finally got to the top, she was met with emptiness and silence. The man from yesterday was nowhere to be found. Leo frowned, eyes falling onto the bag at one corner of the circular room. Well. Maybe he was just out.

Leo shrugged the jacket off, going over to unceremoniously plop it on top of the bag. Well, whatever then, he'd come back eventually and Leo didn't have all day to wait around for him. She did as Oz said anyway.

About halfway down the staircase, Leo froze in place, eyes widened. The raven-haired man named Gilbert was right there, giving her an equally stunned expression with tired eyes. All of him seemed tired, actually, with his slightly sagging body and light-grey rings beneath his eyes. His hand was touching the wall of the lighthouse lightly for support and slowly he detached himself from it.

"You," he said. "What are… Are both of you here?"

Leo shook her head, stepping down another stair. "Don't get your hopes up, it's just me," she replied with a sort of smile. "Oz told me to come by and return your jacket to you. Ah, but since you weren't around, I just put it on top of your bag. I hope that's fine."

Gilbert seemed slightly distracted. And whether or not it was from the lack of sleep Leo couldn't completely tell. He nodded distantly, golden eyes glancing down. "That's…that's okay, yeah."

"Hard worker much?" Leo prompted, hopping down the next step. She was an arm's length away from him now, and was closing the distance until they stood side by side. She glanced back to face his confused expression. "You look really worn out. Have you been working hard?"

A frown creased Gilbert's brow. "No, no, I…" Clarity hit him all at once and he spun around, looking close to gripping Leo's shoulders before he stopped, tense. "Listen, I have a sister, and she wasn't around when you came by because I thought she was out at the pawn shop. But she didn't come back at all last night, and so I went out looking for her, but according to the shopkeeper, she never even made it there. So my sister, Vinny, she's-" Gilbert's breath caught. "She's missing."

Leo gave him a sympathetic look at this grave news, her lips meeting in a thin line. "I'm…very sorry to hear that," she said quietly, offering a hand to pat his shoulder. "Have you reported it, per chance?"

A bitter bark of laughter left Gilbert. "No, no one would care about her. We're just… We don't even have a name, a family or anything. All our lives we've been orphans, so who would care if one of us…just disappeared?" His voice was full of pain, and he tightly gripped the fabric over his chest.

So some people stayed orphans all their lives, with no one but each other. Leo could sympathize a little more with the situation. "Well, my family and I are departing from here today so I cannot…" Leo's voice cadenced as she thought it over. "But I'll keep an eye out for her."

Gilbert smiled gratefully almost instantly. "Thank you so much. Vinny is…feisty, but I'm not sure if she can be really alright by herself…" The worry came back on his expression.

Leo nodded understandingly. She had the same sentiments about Oz all too often. She glanced outside, watching the waves roll and rise. It was getting closer to the time when she'd have to leave. She gave Gilbert an attentive look. "Alright, if you describe her to me, I'll look out for anyone who matches that image."

Gilbert nodded, looking slightly more awake now. "She's a little shorter than me, has long blond hair down to about here, and was wearing this dress last I saw her… Um, since she's my sister, she looks a little bit like me, and," he chuckled a bit, "um, she's actually very easy to identify if you ever see her face. Her eyes…"

"Gold like yours?" Leo ventured to guess. She never really saw irises of those color before, and they were very striking.

"Only one of them," Gilbert corrected, gazing directly at the raven-haired girl. "Her other is red. A deep, crimson red."

Leo couldn't hide her shock fast enough – her lips parted in a sharp intake of breath, her eyes widening. Oh. That did make this Vinny _quite_ interesting. "A red eye," she breathed out.

Gilbert glanced down, nodding. "I know you were sincere about looking for her, but I don't have any problems doing it on my own," he said to her, hand back on the wall. "I've taken care of Vinny since we were kids. I'm sure I can handle it."

That caused Leo to blink in surprise. "Gilbert, has she…per chance been taken before?"

"What?"

"You two are adults now so surely this isn't the first time it's happened, or at least almost happen," Leo continued to prompt, leaning in meaningfully.

But it seemed Gilbert had no idea what she was alluding to. "No, it hasn't. Me and Vinny tend to move around a lot. We don't stay in one place for long once they…once people get too much of her eye. As a matter of fact, we were about to leave here soon."

"Smart," Leo complimented absently, lost in her own thoughts. Yes, very smart. Even if one of _them_ caught wind of a child with a red eye, it'd be too late because Gilbert and his sister would've already moved on. Although it seemed like this time…they hadn't left town quick enough. "I know all these questions are odd, but how long have you remained here?"

Gilbert seemed reluctant to answer at first, giving Leo a critical look. "Two years," he finally answered tersely.

_Too long. Too long and way too much time for one of _them_ to find out about Vinny and discover her_. Leo lightly bit her lip, thinking. Gilbert noticed it and brushed her shoulder with his hand. "You…do you think you know what happened to my sister?"

"I'm not one hundred percent," Leo confessed. "But…I think I have a good enough idea. And given how it was done – the Rainsworths and Vessalius would've informed you and maybe even taken you as well… As for the Barmas, I'm certain they would've gotten wind much sooner than two years, so I'm not sure about them, but… Disappearing in the middle of the day, taking an orphan no one would miss…" A grim expression crossed Leo's face, and something pained as well. "…If I had to take a stab at it…I'd say it was the Nightrays."

Gilbert has frozen completely, turning to Leo with the most confused expression. Slowly, he shook his head, blinking. "W-wait, what? Nightrays? Rainsworths? What is all this you're talking about?" he asked, voice rising at the last question. "If you know what happened to Vinny, just tell me so I can save her!"

"You can't save her," Leo said forcefully, looking regretful. "Gilbert, I'm thinking…that she was taken by the Nightray dukedom because of her crimson eye. You won't…be seeing her again. She's alive, I'll tell you that much, and she'll…probably be treated well… But there's no way you can see her or save her. She's gone."

Throughout her explanation, Leo really didn't want to look at Gilbert. She knew what she said was hurtful, and a bit on the blunt side, but if she didn't tell him, who knew what he'd do. Best he know the truth. He was a grown man, so he could handle it – right? She chanced a glance up at him, feeling horrible when the countenance he wore was one of complete anguish, eyes wide in denial.

"T-taken?" he rasped out, gripping the clothing over his chest again. "Why would she be taken? Why for her eye? They're not…going to sell her or anything, are they?"

"No, they wouldn't do that. They want her."

"How do you know that? Where are these Nightrays, so I can find them and take Vinny back!" he exclaimed in a fury, his hand on the wall curling into a fist.

Leo breathed patiently. "You could try, but I'd really advise against it. The Nightrays in particular are quite well-versed in the art of combat – be it as a gunner or swordsman," she said, leaning her back against the smooth wall. "This is all part of something a lot larger than you, Gilbert. It's out of your hands now."

"What about yours?" Gilbert asked desperately, leaning into her. "It's in your hands, right? Whatever this larger thing is, you're a part of it, aren't you? And that's why you know so much about it." His eyes softened, and for a second he wasn't the adult he appeared to be. "Please, if you can help me in any way to get Vinny back, I have to know. Please. She needs me. Please, I'm willing to do anything, give anything up."

At that, an idea came into Leo's head, but she addressed Gilbert's claims first with a raised brow. She stepped back out of his reach, frowning seriously. "Do anything? Give anything up? Gilbert, you said it yourself – you're an adult with no ties to anyone but your sister. If you were gone, no one would miss you. What do you have to give up?" she asked.

"H-hey-!" Gilbert scowled, face flushing.

"You probably don't have any special skills, or necessary ones like being able to fight. You're really just something a little more than a blank slate," she said, arms crossed over her breasts. As he simmered over that, she smiled lightly, tilting her head.

"And actually, it's a good thing for you that you are. Makes this a lot more of an easy transition."

Gilbert blinked, looking up. "…What?"

_Revis is probably going to kill me for this, but this guy needs help. And his sister has a crimson eye, which means_… Leo's smile widened a bit more.

"Mister Gilbert, what are your thoughts on pirates? Because I think you have what it takes to be one of us."

* * *

**Ending A/N**: You know...Gilbert is supposed to be the main character in this... I don't know why points of views are being changed so much... -sweatdrop- I'll try to keep it more to the Gilbert side from here on - I mean, views will still switch, but I'll try not make it too often -laughs awkwardly-

So apparently Gilly has what it takes to be a Baskerville pirate (I severely doubt this but -laughs forever-). What adventures await him? And how is Miss Oz doing with her new status as a mermaid? Next chapter shall telllllll~


	5. IV: Onto the Turbulent Current

**A/N: **Now that it's summer, I'm going to try to update more! It's hard to say when exactly the action will get rolling, but I think this will be a fairly straight-forward and fast-paced fic, even if it hasn't looked like it so far. I haven't worked out how to bridge certain scenes together, since I've got only the major plot points in my head, but we'll see how it all goes -smiles-

Anyway, let's see how Gilbert handles going on a pirate ship for the first time, hoho~ Please do enjoy! -bows-

**_IV: Onto the Turbulent Current_**

To be frank, Gilbert's knowledge of pirates was limited to what he heard with rumors and stories in children's books. He knew they existed, and he also knew they were in the habit to run the seas and steal whatever they sought fit to steal. Not to mention how dangerous they were - coming across one was the last situation one should want to find themselves in. In few words, ruthless characters who would sooner attack him than honestly let him join their ranks. And after what happened when he first got on the massive ship behind Leo, he was quite certain his stay here was going to be short-lived. The ship they had gotten on was hidden well - in a port that was all but abandoned in the winter due to the waves that had a tendency to crash with more force than anywhere else on the coast. It was the only craft there, also mostly hidden by the cliff some hundred meters away, and even with the aforementioned rough waves sloshing against it, the ship's exterior didn't seem to receive any damage.

At present, he was safely inside the captain's cabin with Leo, who was sitting at a bed near one of the windows - one Gilbert could only assume was hers. "Um, so are you sure it was wise of you to bring me here without your captain's...permission?" he asked, for lack of better words.

Leo gazed up at him nonchalantly, scoffing. "Please, I don't need Revis' permission to do anything," she argued, crossing her arms. "If he hasn't figured that out by now, he never will. So childish, honestly..."

Whatever Leo's definition of "childish" was, it wouldn't exactly have been the word Gilbert would've used to describe the charismatic silver-haired man that spotted them when they boarded the ship. Almost at the same time, both Leo and the man cursed, and Gilbert tensed, ready to head back down the boarding plank at the drop of a hat.

Leo stepped lightly, murmuring over her shoulder, "Just follow my lead, and don't look or talk to anyone."

With the soft clicking of buckles, the silver-haired man moved from his spot near the steering wheel, a disapproving frown on his face. When Leo made no move to acknowledge him, he narrowed his eyes, then smiling. "Excuse me," he called out. "Dear Eleonora, what are you doing? And who is this charming young chap right there with you?" As he spoke, coming down the creaking stairs, his hand ghosted over the holster attached to his thigh.

It looked like this was a dance that was done often. Leo took the lead graciously and responded back cordially with a wave. "Aah, good morning, Revis. Is there something amiss?" She grabbed Gilbert by the arm, snaking hers around it. "I'm just showing my new friend around. Say hello, Gilbert."

He sputtered. "I-I thought you told me not to-"

"Well then, Gilbert - Revis, Revis - Gilbert. Now that we're all introduced, I assume there's nothing wrong with having him on board from now on," Leo lilted, and promptly began to lead Gilbert away. He stumbled more than once, casting this Revis nervous glances - he hadn't forgotten that there was a gun under that long coat, and didn't much fancy being shot without having the chance to explain himself.

Saving Gilbert the chance to think up some excuse, Revis spoke, nearly choking at Leo's declaration. He all but stomped down the remainder of the stairs, eyes the color of amethysts incredulously bulging from his head. "Wh-_what_ did you just say? Did you just invite some random stranger onboard _my_ ship?" he demanded.

There were a few onlookers now, none of which looked like they were about to interfere, but all of which had interested gleams in their eyes. Gilbert tried hard not to think about them and instead focused on keeping his eyes on that gun holster. Leo, still perfectly composed, merely answered Revis placidly, "I did." With an exaggerated sigh, she gathered her skirts that were tossing about in the wind, still keeping a firm hold on Gilbert. "Let me guess - you have a problem with it."

"Well, if the lad would properly introduce himself and show a _reason_ to be invited onto my ship," he cast Gilbert a hard glare, "then perhaps I can pardon your brazen decision." He clicked his tongue. "Trying to sneak here, honestly - how long did you think until I wouldn't notice?" He crossed his arms, giving the two an expectant stare.

Quickly, before Leo could speak for him and say something that could anger the silver-haired man further, Gilbert spoke. Standing up straight, and looking Revis right in the eyes, he said in what he was relieved to hear was a strong voice, "My name is Gilbert, sir."

Revis rounded on him immediately, despite Leo's annoyed look. "And what the bloody hell are you doing stepping foot on this vessel without the captain's permission?" he snapped. Looking at Revis closer like this, Gilbert thought to himself that he appeared like the type who didn't get angry very often. It made him think briefly of Oz and how she seemed more the type to smile and look amused.

Oh, that's right - Oz. Where was she? Gilbert's eyes flickered over either side of him, but saw no sign of sunshine-blond hair among all the washed out colors surrounding him in the winter morning. Maybe she was down below inside the ship, or maybe she was out again... Wait! Had Oz had her birthday on this ship? _This_ was her family!? She was affiliated with these pirates too-!?

"Gilbert!" Leo hissed under her breath impatiently. The raven-haired man jumped, suddenly snapped back to attention. Had he just been asked a question? He opened his mouth, but nothing came out. Huffing, Leo went to Revis and beckoned him closer. With obvious reluctance, he obliged, leaning down to her. Gilbert was close enough that he heard her murmur, "I can tell you about it later." Straightening up, she declared, "I'm taking him to the cabin. He can stay with me."

One of the ship member in the background chortled. Revis' face turned a dark shade of pink. "He certainly will not! This is a ship of pirates, for bloody sake! He's just some man you picked up and knows nothing about how to be a pirate." Casting Gilbert a glare, he snapped, "Utterly useless to us and our goal!"

Leo tilted her head from side to side. "Can't hear you, senile old man," she quipped, opening a rather ornate door that Gilbert was fairly certain didn't lead to where the other pirates slept and lounged around.

"Eleonora! Now see here, young lady-!" Revis began to shout.

Not listening, Leo shoved Gilbert inside the cabin and promptly shut the door behind them with a final slam. For a good minute, Gilbert stood there frozen with Leo right beside him. Outside, it was a bit too quiet, to where even a seagull's far cry could be heard overhead. Leo counted off on her fingers before expectantly pointing out the small circular window on the door.

"DON'T JUST IGNORE ME YOU WENCH! OSWALD, WHERE IS OSWALD, WHERE THE HELL IS HE! DAMMIT OSWALD, _COME TALK TO YOUR DAUGHTER RIGHT NOW_...!" There were heavy stomps and Revis barked out some command to another shipmate to watch over things before it was quiet again, albeit certain murmurings could be heard.

Leo chuckled, before walking on ahead inside the room. Gilbert gave the window another apprehensive look, making sure Revis was indeed completely gone, and shuffled inside more as well. The room was, as he suspected, the captain's quarters. How he was allowed in here was a mystery. There was a desk littered with an assortment of objects, two lanterns on the ceiling, and a small alcove where Gilbert suspected Revis slept. A wide window behind the desk gave the perfect view of the outside, where the winter waves thrashed around and sprayed foam everywhere, rocking the ship in slight lulls. There was another door, but it was closed, and it had no window. He followed Leo to a part of the room that was closed off with a curtain, and when she swing it open, showed a bed, a window, and a small bookshelf hung above the bed, all filled up with well-worn books.

That brought them to where they were now, and Leo had reassured him that he was fine. "I don't need Revis' permission for anything," she reiterated. "He can yell all he wants, but he doesn't scare me. We've had this relationship all my life."

Even though he hated to admit it, Gilbert murmured, "But he _did_ have a point."

With a look of disbelief, Leo asked, "And what could that bastard possibly have had a point about?"

Gilbert spread his arms hopelessly. Wasn't it obvious? "About the fact I know absolutely _nothing_ about being a pirate!" he exclaimed. He raked his fingers through the tangled curls of his hair. "This is not the kind of thing I thought this mess was. It's like you said before - I'm probably useless anyway. I don't know how to fight and..." He shifted a bit, looking down as a sinking feeling tightened his stomach.

"And...?" prompted Leo patiently.

"And I think I may get seasick easily," Gilbert said in a wobbly voice, swaying.

Leo rolled her eyes. "Oh for the love of..." She crossed her thighs and snapped, "I was under the impression you were willing to do whatever it took to get your sister back. Well, this is what it takes. She's with the Nightray family now, so you have no choice in the matter if saving her is your resolve."

That was...right. Completely right. Leo had a point in that. How could Gilbert forget all he said just an hour ago? But... "My resolve hasn't changed, I promise you that," he reassured firmly, willing away his nausea. "It's just that if I'm sooner going to be killed here, I'd rather go off on my own."

"You won't have a better chance to get your sister back than this," Leo said bluntly. The ship rocked slightly forward with a particularly rough wave, making Gilbert shake and Leo to let out a long sigh. She grabbed him by the coat and pulled him unceremoniously down on the bed. "Look, we Baskervilles have certain connections with the Nightrays. Staying here is the best opportunity you've got. Besides, I won't let anyone hurt you. I may be a girl, but I've also lived among these pirates all my life. I'm also Oswald's daughter. If they won't respect my skills, then they'll at least respect my position."

Gilbert straightened up on the bed, trying not to clutch onto the sheets. "Um..."

"Trust me, you're safe," Leo reassured.

Seeing no room to argue further, Gilbert glanced away. Then, going into a more serious mindset, he murmured, "How are you connected to those people who took Vinny?" He didn't want to come off as too suspicious, but it didn't stop him from the low tone of voice or the slight narrowing of his eyes.

Leo wasn't lost to these indicators. She arched her brows, seeming amused. "It's nothing you're probably thinking of. I know we're pirates, and I'll be honest and tell you now..." She leaned in, her ponytail draping over her shoulder as her expression got darker. Gilbert sank unconsciously into the bed with each inch she got closer. "Every single person on this ship has stolen. Every single one of us lies. Each of us," she seized his wrist, slapping his hand onto her thigh, where he could feel the handle of some blade beneath her skirts, "carries weapons on us at all times. And so as you can imagine, we have no problems getting our hands dirty. We've all wounded or killed. Even myself."

Gilbert's breath hitched slightly at her dangerous tone, and - much to his chagrin - blushed softly from his hand at her thigh. Pulling himself together to think past this, he hissed, "You said I was safe."

"You are," Leo said. She relaxed, pushing his hand away and sitting back up. "We can protect you, is one point I was making. But what I'm trying to get at is that we're not the bad guys. _They_ are."

"The Nightrays?"

"No," snapped Leo, a bit too angrily. Immediately, regret crossed her face and she glanced away. She huffed, rubbing at her temples. "Well, _yes_, them. But I mean all of _Pandora_."

Gilbert slowly sat up, frowning. "Pandora...?" That didn't strike any chord in him.

"Well, I guess they're not so well-known to outsiders," Leo mused, putting down her hands. With a decisive breath, she began. "Let's see. You obviously don't even know of the Four Great Dukedoms. They're pretty famous, and are from this country, actually." She held up four fingers, counting off. "The Vessalius, Nightray, Rainsworth, and Barma houses are those dukedoms. They all have some specialty or another and use those skills to work under the king and make sure the nation runs in good order. That's all the surface work, though. There's one mission they've had for years now, an underground one."

"And what's that?" asked Gilbert slowly, although he was fairly certain he had an idea of what it was.

Leo tilted her head to him. "Well, because everyone is convinced we're some bad guys, it's been their mission for nearly one hundred years now to hunt us down, and stop us from attaining our goal." Her eyes narrowed in barely-concealed disdain, the corner of her lips twitching down. "Even though it's their fault we're in this situation in the first place."

The dark seriousness in the air came down heavily on Gilbert's body. The only affairs he ever had to deal with in his life were his own and Vinny's. Never had he been thrust into any particular dramas or tragedies of someone else's life, and even glossing over the edge of them made the atmosphere feel thicker. _And the affairs of pirates must be larger than any ordinary person must go through... Moreover, regardless of whose "fault" it is that "this" has become a "situation", it's undeniable that this Pandora and the Baskerville pirates have some sort of history_. The question was...was it a history he wanted to know about?

_If I become a pirate, and need to get Vinny back from the Nightrays, then I'll be indirectly involved in whatever mess is around as well_, thought Gilbert carefully. _Better to fully know what I'm getting into_.

"This situation..." Gilbert began, prompting her forward.

"It's...complicated," she finally settled on saying after she paused to think. "I'll explain it to you one day soon, but not now. Just know that the Baskervilles haven't done anything. It's the Four Great Dukedoms that took what wasn't theirs in the first place. And that even today, it's _us_ who are trying to deal with the repercussions of it."

It wasn't the kind of answer Gilbert wanted. He hated ambiguity, even though he was guilty of using it as well more often than not. "I don't see how I'm supposed to go on just that."

Leo smiled, impressed. Even so, her stance was firm. "Well, if no one here kills you, and you get Vinny back, I don't see the problem. Besides, it's not like we're asking you to kill for us. You're just here for the ride, right?" she reminded. "As soon as you get Vinny again, you're out of here, aren't you? Then you don't need to worry too much." Something about her expression changed in the middle of her words, but it was too quick for Gilbert to place what it was. He might've just imagined it.

"Alright," he relented. "Just until I can get Vinny _safely_ back again."

An amused chuckle purred in Leo's throat. And just like that, the air seemed to get lighter again. "Great! Well, now that that's settled, we can welcome you on board the Jabberwocky," Leo declared with a wide smile.

Gilbert frowned. "The...the what?"

"The Jabberwocky. It's the name of our - _Captain_ _Revis'_," she corrected dryly, "ship. Old as him, probably older, but never once have we gotten into a shipwreck, or taken any irreversible damage. Oh, and I know most ships are referred to as 'she', but I'm sure Jabberwocky's a boy. I don't care what Revis says. He feels like a boy." Leo said it as firmly as if she'd been waiting to tell the raven-haired man that - not that Gilbert cared any particular way.

Gilbert wet his lips. "Th-thank you...for accepting me as one of you," he murmured.

Leo blinked, looking at him as surely as he lost his mind. "What are you talking about? I only welcomed you onto the ship. I didn't say you're a proper Baskerville pirate yet. Tons of things will have to be done before then."

"A-ah?" The blunt rejection made an embarrassed flush cross his cheeks. What had they just been discussing all this time? "Th-then what am I supposed to be doing?" Surely if he wasn't a pirate, he'd have to be something so that that Captain Revis wouldn't kick him out first opportunity.

Leo peered at him curiously. Then, with a straight face, she asked, "How are your cleaning skills?"

"...I'm sorry, what?"

Knowing full and well that Gilbert knew where this was going, Leo laughed. "Newcomers always gotta start at the bottom rung. How do you fancy doing some chores around here, eh?"

"I-I guess I'm good at cleaning." Most of the places he found a job in required him to do some clean-up chore or another. If he wasn't cleaning, then he was most likely doing some simple tasks in the kitchen.

"Excellent." Leo gave him an approving smile before chuckling at his incredulity. "Come on, I know this is a ship and we're pirates, but it doesn't mean we like to go around in filth all day. We're not some storybook pirates with dirt clinging to us and poor manners. Goodness. Was that what you were expecting?" She leaned in, giving him a meaningful look with hands at her hips.

He rubbed the back of his neck. "Well, I'd be lying if I said I expected a young lady like yourself to be a pirate..." That's when he remembered. Back then, his thoughts had gotten interrupted, but now his eyes got wide. "Oz. Is Oz around here? She lives with you, doesn't she? Then she's here."

Leo blinked, overwhelmed. "Um..." She tucked hair behind each of her ears. "She's not here at the moment." With a small, humorless laugh, she said, "After her party was done, she went off. But don't worry, we'll see her soon. She's probably just...testing the waters, I suspect."

"E-eh...?" So...Oz wasn't here. Gilbert felt disappointed. Somehow, if Oz was there to be cheerful and bubbly, then he might actually feel more certain about being here. He'd be more willing to believe Leo's story if someone like Oz were around him.

"Nothing much. She'll be back. When you see her again, then I'll tell you a little about the mission we Baskervilles have," Leo promised. With a lilt, she admitted, "You wouldn't believe me anyhow if I explained it without some evidence."

Evidence? What did Oz have to do with proving something that had been going on for apparently one hundred years? The day so far had been enough to process without pondering this on top of it, so Gilbert let it go for the time being. "I see..." As long as there was a promise to see Oz again, things were a bit more bearable now. It made him feel warmer just thinking of seeing a familiar face. Not that he thought Leo as unkind, no, it's just...

Stopping his mental head-banging over being so creepy about a girl so obviously younger than him, Gilbert moved on. "So. What's the plan? When do we see the Nightrays?"

"Hold on there and relax," Leo said soothingly. She made a calming down motion with her hand. "Remember, even though Vinny is, in essence, kidnapped, she is not being harmed. We have time, don't worry. For now, we'll be spending the remainder of the day here. Later tonight when it gets darker, we'll leave Sablier."

Gilbert stilled. "But...the Nightrays are _here_!"

"They'll follow us sooner or later. Besides, we need them now," Leo said, stroking her cheek, pondering. With an odd smile, she got up. "I have to go out now for a bit. I won't be _too_ long, but I don't want you venturing out until I've properly introduced you." She went under her bed and pulled out a delicately carved wooden box.

Instantly, Gilbert was frantic. "Eh!? But aren't you the only reason I'm not _dead_ right now!?"

Leo blinked, staring at him. "You can go back to the lighthouse if that would make you feel more at ease," she offered simply before returning to her task. Her hair came undone as she pulled the ribbon off and put it in her box. Shortly after shaking out her hair a bit, she brought out a large pair of glasses and put them on. She looked up at him again, although it was harder to see her eyes now. "I can just go by and get you once I'm done with my errand."

Gilbert scrutinized her as she put the box back and got up, rubbing her hand in her hair to make it messier and raking her bangs over her face. Without warning she slid out of her skirt and went under her bed again for a larger box with folded clothing inside. Gilbert made a surprised sound, looking out the window and cheeks flaming. "I-is that...like a disguise or something?" he asked. Only when the rustling of clothes stop did he dare to glance back.

"Oh, you noticed? Guess you could say that," Leo giggled, pushing her glasses up. "Since I'll be out in public, can't be too careful."

Deciding he'd much rather wait at the lighthouse than linger here where Revis could find him, Gilbert got up after her. "Where _is_ it you're going exactly?"

When they were near the door, Leo turned to him seriously and peered intently up at him through her hair and glasses. "I'm going to meet my illicit lover. That no one must know about. Under any circumstances." With each curt sentence, she leaned in toward him meaningfully. She stared at him a few hard heartbeats more before pulling back with a chipper, "Alright! Let's hurry then! Hopefully by the time we return, Oswald will be here."

"Ah..." _Is she serious-_? Gilbert wasn't given the opportunity to agree or disagree with her before she opened the door and took them back outside. When the plank was set again and the two walked back onto the sandy shore, Gilbert cast the Jabberwocky one last look with his golden eyes. It had been all but reiterated multiple times that day how ill-suited he was to be in league with the Baskervilles, but he was determined not to die until he got Vinny back from the Nightrays. The pirates onboard didn't have to trust him. Captain Revis didn't even have to like him. Pirates were just the sort to use someone, weren't they? Then Gilbert would do whatever it took to be useful - because in the end, he was using the Baskervilles as well.

Whatever fate had in store for him, he would be willing to take it on.

* * *

**Ending A/N**: In the end, this ended up being pretty much a one-scene chapter. Don't worry, Oz will appear next chapter - I haven't forgotten about her! :D Like I said, just trying to give Gilbert a chance again, pffft. Leo came out more serious than I intended o_o Revis really is an awkward captain, isn't he? We hardly saw him too riled up about something, so I just frantically tried to use my imagination, haha... -shot- I'm also sorry for how short it is, sigh. Well, since Oz will be coming into the picture again, I'm crossing my fingers for next chapter to be longer! By the way, I know little to nothing about ship and sailor terminology, but I swear I'll get to doing my research on that (because in case you didn't notice, I've been dancing around that kind of stuff, haha...-shot-)

Anyway, am I worthy of a review? OuO -leans in towards you-


End file.
